Taiwan goes high-tech with health cards.

(From Taiwan News)

After conducting six years of pilot tests in Penghu County, the Bureau of National Health Insurance began issuing new National Health Insurance cards with integrated-circuits yesterday.

The BNHI organized a ceremony to mark the event that joins Taiwan with countries like Germany, France and the Netherlands, to use "intelligent" health insurance cards.

President Chen Shui-bian ('[macron][currency]o`o) made an appearance at the ceremony to receive the very first IC card from Department of Health Minister Lee Ming-liang ([section]o[copyright]u`G).

"Receiving the first NHI IC card doesn't mean that I will have the privilege of enjoying more access to medical resources. It represents that Taiwan has entered a new era …